Water conservation flush tank

ABSTRACT

A water conservation flush tank in which two separate valve seats are formed in the flush tank integrally in the casting of the tank with the valve seats vertically spaced so that the full flush tank capacity is flushed through the lower valve seat and only a portion of the capacity of the flush tank is flushed through the upper valve seat. Each of the valve seats are closed by conventional flush valves separately controlled by individual flush handles. By using the upper valve seat a portion of the flush tank capacity may be used to flush the toilet following urination and the lower valve seat can be opened to flush the toilet with a more positive action following defecation.

United States Patent [191' Minardi, Jr.

[ WATER CONSERVATION FLUSH TANK [7 6] Inventor: Samuel C. Minardi, Jr., 4314 River-view Ave., Tampa, Fla. 33607 22 Filed: Dec. 20, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 316,721

[52] 0.8. CI. 4/67 A, 4/34 [51] Int. Cl E0311 1/32, E03d 5/02, E03d 5/10 [58] Field of Search 4/34, 37, 54, 57 R,

4/67 R, 67 A, 57 P [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,780,810 11/1930 Brown 4/67 A 1,960,864 5/1934 Brown 4/67 A 2,505,091 4/1950 Brebis 4/67 A 2,731,647 1/1956 Groth et a1. 4/67 A 2,839,759 5/1958 Martino 4/37 3,375,531 4/1968 Lake 4/57 Oct. 9,1973

Primary Examiner-Henry K. Artis Attorney-Alexander B. Blair et al.

[5 7] ABSTRACT ventional flush valves separately controlled by individual flush handles. By using the upper valve seat a portion of the flush tank capacity may be used to flush the toilet following urination and the lower valve seat can be opened to flush the toilet with a more positive action following defecation.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 1" 2 WATER CONSERVATION FLUSH TANK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to water conservation flush tanks.

2. Summary of the Invention A water sonservation flush tank in which a pair of valve seats are integrally formed in casting of the tank with the valve seats spaced vertically from each other and each controlled by a flush valve individually operated by separate flush handles.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a water conservation flush tank in which standard plumbing fixtures are used for controlling two levels of flushmg.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in the light of the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the exterior of a flush tank incorporating the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view, taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, taken along the line 4--4 of FIG. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view, taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows. I

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in'detail, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several FIGURES, the reference numeral indicates generally a water conservation flush tank constructed in accordance with the invention.

The water conservation flush tank 10 includes a tank 11 formed of ceramic material and adapted to be supported on a commode l2 and connected thereto in a conventional manner. The tank 11 is open'at its upper end and is closed with a removable cover 13 which rest on the upper edge thereof.

The tank 11 has a drain opening 14 in the bottom wall 15 thereof through which the water flows to flush the commode 12as desired.

A generally horizontal wall 16 is arranged in spaced parallel relation to the bottom wall 15 and is supported on a pair of relatively short side walls 17, 18 as can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. The horizontal wall 16.is integrally formed with the rear wall 19 of the tank and the side walls 17, 18 are integrally formed with the bottom wall 15.

A ported valve seat 20 opens through the horizontal wall 16 for reasons to be described. A second generally horizontal wall 21 is supported on a vertical wall 22 extending upwardly from the horizontal wall 16 parallel to the rear wall 19. The second generally horizontal wall 21 is further supported on a pair of side walls 23, 24 which are formed integrally with the side walls 17, 18, the bottom wall 15 and the horizontal wall 21 as well as the vertical wall 22. A ported valve seat 25 is formed in the horizontal wall 21 for reasons to be assigned.

The tank 11 has a front wall 26 arranged in spaced relation to the rear wall 19 as can be seen in FIG. 4. A vertical wall 27 extends integrally upwardly from the horizontal wall 21 and is integrally joined to a pair of said walls 28, 29 which are integrally joined to the front wall 26 as well as to the side walls 23, 24 respectively.

The vertical wall 27, front wall 26 and integral side walls 28, 29 form therebetween a passage way 30 which communicates with the chamber 31 formed beneath the horizontal walls 16 and 21. The chamber 31 communicates with the valve seat 14 to permit water therein to flow into the commode 12.

An car 32 is integrally formed on the horizontal wall 21 and vertical wall 22 and a second car 33 is integrally formed on the vertical wall 27 and side wall 24. A conventional guide bracket 34 is secured to each of the ears 32, 33 by means of a bolt 35. A conventional valve rod 36 is mounted in each of the brackets 34 for vertical sliding movement and have a flush ball valve 37 removably secured to the lower end thereof. A flush handle 38 is pivotally mounted on the front wall 26 and carries a lever 39 thereon. A second flush handle 40 is pivotally mounted to the opposite side of the front wall 26 and carries a flush lever 41 thereon. A link 42 is connected to the valve rod 36 and the flush lever 39 to raise the valve 37 from the seat 20 when the handle 38 is depressed. A link 43 connects the valve rod 36 to the flush lever 41 to raise the flush valve 37 from the seat 25 when the flush handle 40, is actuated.

A conventional water inlet pipe 44 extends through the bottom 15 of the tank 11 and has a conventional float control valve 45 on the upper end thereof. A float 46 is connected to the float control valve 45 to operate it in the usual manner. An overflow pipe 47 extends from the valve 45 to the passage way 30 to provide a flow of water therethrough in a conventional manner.

It should be understood that the float valve 37, valve rods 36, brackets 34, links 42, 43 and flush levers 39, 41 are all of conventional construction and may be purchased at any plumbing supply store. The water supply pipe 44, valve 45 and float 46 are similarly of conventional construction. The flush handles 38, 40 are also of conventional construction so that if any of the plumbing portions of the flush tank 11 require replacement at any time they may be replaced with conventional structures readily available on the market. Applicants integral dual flush valve structure of the flush tank permits the use of conventional plumbing fixtures to provide the water conservation flush feature of applicants invention.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A water conservation flush tank comprising a cast ceramic tank having a commode connection on the lower end thereof for supplying water from said tank to a commode, a pair of vertically spaced horizontal walls integrally formed in said tank of ceramic materials and communicating with a chamber overlying the outlet of said tank, said horizontal walls each having a valve seat formed therein, a pair of vertically movable flush valves cooperating with each of said seats, and means for individually controlling each of said flush valves for separately flushing through a selected one of said valve seats.

at its lower end with said chamber for receiving the overflow pipe from said valve.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a pair of cars are integrally formed on said tank for supporting 2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a passage 5 guide brackets for said flush valves.

way extends upwardly in said tank and communicates 

1. A water conservation flush tank comprising a cast ceramic tank having a commode connection on the lower end thereof for supplying water from said tank to a commode, a pair of vertically spaced horizontal walls integrally formed in said tank of ceramic materials and communicating with a chamber overlying the outlet of said tank, said horizontal walls each having a valve seat formed therein, a pair of vertically movable flush valves cooperating with each of said seats, and means for individually controlling each of said flush valves for separately flushing through a selected one of said valve seats.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a passage way extends upwardly in said tank and communicates at its lower end with said chamber for receiving the ovErflow pipe from said valve.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a pair of ears are integrally formed on said tank for supporting guide brackets for said flush valves. 